1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint, and particularly to an inflator which provides inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable restraint.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Inflators which provide inflation fluid for inflating inflatable vehicle occupant restraints, such as air bags, are known. One type of inflator includes a container for storing an inflation fluid under pressure. The container has an opening through which the inflation fluid can flow to inflate an air bag. A rupturable closure extends across the opening to block fluid flow through the opening when the closure is unruptured.
The closure may be ruptured in a number of ways. One way of rupturing the closure is to increase the pressure of the inflation fluid stored in the container to a predetermined pressure that applies a force to the closure which exceeds the strength of the closure. Thus, the closure ruptures.
In some inflators, closures are used which do not possess the strength to resist rupturing under the force of the pressure of the inflation fluid stored in the chamber. These closures are provided with a support structure which is made from a breakable material, such as glass. The support structure supports the closure from rupturing due to the pressure of the inflation fluid. The support structure breaks in response to a situation requiring inflation of the air bag. Upon breaking, the support structure no longer supports the closure. Thus, the pressure of the stored inflation fluid acting on the closure ruptures the unsupported closure to permit inflation fluid to flow through the opening to inflate the air bag.